e.g.

c) If we let s be the length of the sides of a cube and A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H be the vertices (corners) then the
problem looks like this

If we let be the acute angle formed where the sticks cross in the middle of the box, then we can simplify and
solve it by looking at the rectangle formed by vertices A, C, F and H.

Now, the length of the line segment CH, is the length of a diagonal of a square whose sides are s. So we have

2s

To solve for the length of the line segment CF, we now have,

2s
Length of line segment CF = 2s s
2 2
2 s 2 s 2 3s . Now, the length from F to the middle of the box
3s
is just half the length of line segment CF, so we have . To solve for the acute angle, we can look at an
2
isosceles triangle formed,

3
s
2

3
s
2

Using cosine law, we have

cos
s s s
2
3
2
2
3
2 2

3
4 s 2 34 s 2 s 2 12 s 2
3 2
1
2

1
2 s s
2
3
2
3 3 2
2s 2s
3
2 3
1 1
cos cos 1 70.529
3 3
e.g. h) (b) Let h be the height of the man, the problem looks like this

3 .4 m
h

30
10m 6m
h 3.4m 34m 2
Solving for the height of the man, we use similar triangles, so we have , h 2.125m .
10m 16m 16m

A 78

2.125m

60
12 30

B
So the length of the shadow is the length of line segment AB. We simplify the sketch to a non-right triangle

78
A
2.125m

60

So A 180 78 60 42 . Now using the sine law we have ,

AB 2.125m 2.125msin 78
AB 3.106m
sin 78 sin 42 sin 42